A whole host of Dorset players took to the courts of Victoria Avenue Tennis Club this week for the Darren Toop Open, some of whom ended the tournament with silverware.
Hannah Gamage was on top form in both the 18 and under girls tournament and in the open women’s draw. She beat Sophie Butland 6-0, 7-6(4) in the final of the 18 and under event before registering a 6-3, 7-5 victory over Alice Gillan in the final of the women’s competition.
Shuei Belcher got the better of fellow Dorset player Millen Hurrion in the final of the 14 and under boys draw. Both players has performed well leading up to the final, but it was Belcher who came out as the winner thanks to a 6-3, 6-1 victory. Belcher also reached the quarter finals of the 16 and under boys draw where he was beaten by the top seed 4-6, 6-2, 6-0.
The 14 and under girls draw was won by Natalie Carter. She beat Kent’s Phoebe Watton 6-2, 6-2 in the final. Millie Smythe also reached the semi-finals, but was beaten by Watton 6-3, 6-3.
Three players reached the quarter finals of the 16 and under girls event. Smythe backed up her semi-final finish in the 14s age group with a good run before being beaten by the top seed and eventual finalist Holly Bennett 7-5, 6-1. Mirsha Hobbs also bowed out in the last eight after she lost by the same score line to the third seed Abbie-Jade Riley. The third Dorset player to lose out in the quarter-finals was Elle Baker, who was beaten 6-4, 6-2 by the eventual champion Maryam Williams. Baler also made the semi-finals of the women’s draw, but lost 6-1, 6-3 to Alice Gillan.
There was also a runner-up finish for Erin Richardson in the 12 and under girls tournament. After not dropping a set en route to the final, she was narrowly beaten by Phoebe Watton in a deciding champions tie-break, she lost 6-2, 2-6, 1-0(7).
Luca Mcmanus, who usually plays in the 10 & under draws, showed his potential by beating the top seed on the way to a runner-up finish in the boys 12 & under event.
There was plenty for Dorset to be proud of in the mini-tennis events. In the 9 & under boys draw Owen Blakeley won his first grade 3 title with a hard-fought victory in the final, winning 7-4, 14-12 against George Russell. James Sclater and Lewis Maftah, also of Dorset, finished 3rd and 4th in what proved to be a very impressive event for the counties players.
William Pickard was the winner of the round-robin final of the 8 & under mixed singles event after wins over fellow Dorset player Taymur Muhammad, who finished 3rd, and Alex Blissett.
The girls 10 & under saw Abigail Tyler emerge victorious, whilst Charlie Barnett and Harrison Macdonald-Taylor both made the semi-finals of the boys 10 & under event.
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By Harry Lund